São Paulo and Paris St-Germain legend Raí says that Lucas Moura will be a starter at PSG

São Paulo forward Lucas Moura will move to Paris St-Germain in next month and former São Paulo and PSG idol Raí believes the player will fit perfectly in Carlo Ancelotti’s team.

Lucas, 20, who will move to Paris for around €45 million, was the topic of conversation when Raí recently met up with PSG director of football Leonardo.

“Leonardo and I talked about several players. Lucas was just one of them,” Raí told SporTV.

“Leonardo said Paris Saint-Germain must play a lot on the counterattack, especially if they make the quarter-final of the Champions League.

“So the team needs a strong defence, and now has that with Thiago Silva, and speed of players. Lucas was hired because he is that player. It was a specific hiring, he already has a guaranteed place.”

One possible problem that Lucas will encounter is the change in the weather, going from the Brazilian summer to a European winter.

“He has a natural adaptation to the cold, because it is winter. Raining or not raining, the grass is heavy. Lucas will have to get used to it.”

And Raí revealed that he had recommended Ganso to Leonardo in the past, both when he was in Italy and now in Paris, but it was a move that never came off.

“I had indicated Ganso, after the end of the Santos against Santo André game, in Paulistão 2010. Leonardo was still in Italy.

“There's a guy who has technique, is tall and has started in midfield. When he went to PSG, he thought Ganso.

“He commented that they were negotiating to sign him and had to talk to 15 different people. Then he got injured and the transfer did not happen.”

Paris St-Germain host FC Porto on Tuesday evening at the Parc des Princes. Both teams have already qualified for the knockout stage of the competition but PSG will be looking to win in order to leapfrog the Portuguese champions and top the group.